Effects of blood flow restriction on post-exercise recovery in amateur runners: a stratified randomized controlled trial.

• Grant number: 24/16296-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Franciele Marques Vanderlei
• Grantee: Guilherme Henrique da Silva Brandão
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Running has become increasingly popular among recreational athletes due to its benefits to physical and mental health and the accessibility of the sport, highlighting the importance of adequate recovery strategies between training sessions and/or competitions. These strategies allow athletes to tolerate higher training loads, improve the quality and quantity of training, promote long-term positive physiological adaptations, and maximize physical performance. In the amateur context, the lack of financial resources creates space for more accessible recovery techniques, such as active recovery (AR) and blood flow restriction (BFR). AR is widely adopted for its effectiveness in recovering physiological function and mental well-being. Meanwhile, BFR has shown promise in accelerating muscle recovery and reducing delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). However, its effectiveness as a post-exercise recovery method, especially in combination with AR, has not yet been clearly established. Objectives: To investigate the use of AR combined with BFR in post-exercise recovery for recreational runners. The specific objectives are: i) to analyze and to compare the acute and delayed responses of AR combined with BFR on physiological and perceptual parameters (delayed-onset muscle soreness, inflammatory markers, fatigue sensation, and perceived exertion); ii) to evaluate the impact of these combined strategies on physical performance in subsequent training sessions. Methods: A stratified randomized controlled trial will be conducted using the three-minute all-out test (3MT). The study will include 34 healthy men aged 18 to 30 years with a running pace of less than 5:30 minutes per kilometer, who will be allocated into one of three groups: Active Recovery with Blood Flow Restriction (AR-BFR), Active Recovery (AR), and Control. All groups will undergo initial assessments, followed by a muscle stress protocol, the intervention to which they were previously randomized, and subsequent assessments immediately after and 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours after exercise. The outcomes to be assessed, in order, are: RR interval assessment for subsequent heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, pain using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), perception of recovery and discomfort using the Likert scale, and exertion using the Borg Scale (CR-10), vectors of cellular integrity through bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), pain threshold using a pressure algometer, muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity using myotonometry, muscle power using the Squat Jump test, triceps surae strength using a digital dynamometer, and maximal aerobic capacity (MAC) using the 3MT, and blood lactate collection will be performed. Descriptive statistical methods and repeated measures analysis of variance will be used. The significance level will be set at p<0.05.